Machine for applying ears to pails



w.sPA|N. MACHINE FOR APPIQYING EARS T0 PAILS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, 1920 4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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Euen or @mams AQSSQS,

W. SPAIN.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING EARS T0 PAILS. APPLICATION FILED AuG.9. 1920.

Patented July 25, M922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.`

W. SPAIN. MACHINE FOR APPLYING EARS T'O PAILS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, 1920. lASQS. Patented July 25,1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Immun? yImllllllllullw/ I W. SPAIN.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING EARS T0 PAILS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, I920.` I

1 Patented July 25, 1922..

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WILLIAM SPAIN, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CORN PRODUCTS REFINING- COMPANY, OF ARGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING EARS T0 PAILS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1922.

Application filed August 9, 1920. Serial No. 402,406.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Smm, a citi- 4zen of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and, useful Improvements in Machines for Applying Ears to Pails, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pail forming machines, and more particularly to a machine for positioning the handle-receiving ears of a pail on opposite sides of the pail body, and securing the ears in such position preliminary to the soldering or other means employed for effecting permanent attachment of the ears to the pail body.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the apparatus disclosed in my nited States Letters Patent No. 929,798, granted August 3, 1909, and has for one of its objects to provide novel and improved means whereby the handle-receiving ears of a pail may be accurately positioned on opposite sides of the pail body and the pail discharged from the machinewithout danger of distorting or otherwise damaging the ears or pail, and without danger of subsequently displacing the ears from their proper positions when the pail is discharged from theI machine.

Another object is to provide in a machine of the above general character, improved ear supporting and positioning mechanism which will support and position pail ears of various contours, which may be conveniently and accurately adjusted when such adjustment is necessary, and which when applying imperfectly formed ears to pails, or when applying perfectly formed ears to imperfectly formed pails. will automatically adjust itself so as to avoid damaging said pails or ears.

The invention has for further objects the novel arrangements, constructions, and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as may appear from the following description.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a` ing broken away for the purpose of clearness;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken through the machine on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a friction-producing element shown in the preceding figures, for holding certain intermittently operable members ofthe machine in a stationary position at certain times during the operation of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a plunge-r and head employed in the machine to shift the position of the pail during the positioning of the pail ears;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in elevation of one of the pail-supporting disks, illustrating a preferred mechanism for supporting the pail ears;

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6 and illustrating the position of the plunger head (shown in Fig. 5) and the pail body immediately prior to moving thl ears into engagement with the pail body; an

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the upper portion of the pail, showing a handle-receiving ear in its applied position, the upper'edge of said ear being inserted between the body of the pail and the depending flange of the pail cover.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The preferred embodiment of my invention consists of two oppositely disposed drums` designated generally by reference numerals 10, 11, which drums are made up in each case of two disks 12, 12"", and 13, 13", secured to parallel shafts 14, 15, and formed on their peripheries with recesses providing pockets 16, 17 for the pail bodies. The drums are rotated in unison in opposite directions, so that a pail body discharged from the chute 18 will enter a pocket 16 of the drum 10 and will be conveyed toward a complemental pocket 17 of theV drum 11. The drums are so spaced with relation to each other that when they are rotated the corresponding pockets of the drums successively cooperate with each other to provide substantially cylindrical supports for the `pail bodies as they reach lpredetermined points in their movement through the machine. The drums are preferably operated intermittently Vso that as each cylindrical support for the pail body is formed the rotation of the drums is interrupted for a time suiiicient to permit other intermittently operated mechanism, hereinafter described, to move the ears 19, 19, previously inserted in ear-retaining chucks 20, 2()a by the attendant, to be brought into engagement with the cylindrical wall of the pail body at diametrically opposite points, and the pail body moved longitudinally to force the ends of the ears between the wall 21 and cover'fiange 22 of the pail, as shownin Fig. 9 of the drawings. u The rums are operatively connected with each other by means of intermeshing gears 23, 24, secured to the drum shafts 14, 15, and may be given the desired intermittent movement by any suitable means. In the drawings I have shown a slot wheel 25 and pin gear 26 for accomplishing-this result. The slot wheel 25 consists of a disk secured to the outer face of the spur gear 24 and provided with a plurality of relatively deep radially extending slots 27, the number of slots corresponding to the number of pockets of each of the drums 10 11. The pin gear 26 is preferably a spur-toothed gear formed on its inner face with two diametrically disposed studs 28, 28 adapted when the gear is rotated to alternately enter the slots 27 ofthe wheel 25 so as to rotate the drums a distance necessary to form a cylindrical pocket for the pail for each one-half rotation of the pin gear. The pin gear is secured' to a shaft 29,

and is in mesh withthe continuously operated pinion 30 on the drive shaft 31.

In order to prevent the handle-receiving ears of the pail from being distorted or displaced from theirvapplied position on the pail when the pail is .being discharged from the machine, and also to obtain other advantages disclosed herein, I preferably arrange and operate the ear-retaining chuck 20, 20a so that the ears 19 inserted in the chucks by the attendant will be normally heldY outof engagement withthe pail body until the rotational movement of the drums 10, 11 is interrupted, whereupon thet ear-positioning mechanism is brought into operation to po# sition the ears on the pail body and to then permit the ear-retainin chucks pto move to their retracted position efore the drums are rotated to discharge the pail' with the ears applied. l

The ear-.retaining chucks 20, 20a are slidably supported in radial slots 32 formed on the forward face of the disks 12, 13, and consist in each case of a channel-shaped body 33, end plate 34, horseshoe magnet 35 adapted ,to hold the ears in the chucks while the guide strips 37. A gasket of non-magnetic material is preferably inserted between the magnet and closure Plate. The end plate 34- is formed with an opening 38 adapted to receive the boss 39 of the pail ear when the same is inserted in .the chuck, and is preferably detachably secured to the body 33 by screws 40, so as to permit another end plate to be substituted for the one shown, when it is desired to apply ears of different contour. The ear-retaining chucks are normally held in their retracted position by means of springs 41 positioned in pockets 42 on the rear face of the chuck body 33, which springs bear against studs 43 projecting from the outer face of the disks and extending into the spring pockets. These studs, together with studs 44, provide stops to limit the inward movement of the chucks 20, 20a. The ears are inserted in the c hucks by the attendant before the pail bodies enter the pockets, the magnets having been rst adjusted to suit the depth of the boss 39 of the ears being applied to the pails. The pail bodies together with their previously applied covers or rims 45 are discharged into the pockets so that the cover flange 22 of the pail will be y positioned beyond the edge of the ears as shownin Figs. 2 and 8: The pail bodies in this position are conveyed to the point where the rotation of the drums 10, 11 is interrupted and the ears are brought into engagement with the pail wall at a point back of the said cover flange. The pail bodies are then moved longitudinally by means of a plunger head 46 so as to force the ends of the ears between the wall and cover flange of the pail. This operation is accomplished by means of inter-A mittently operated mechanism comprising a continuousl drivenI cam 47 engaging one end of 'a pivoted arm 48, so as to rock the same at a predetermined time, the other end of the arm 48 being bifurcated and engaging with a depending arm 49 of a squared shaft 50.` The shaft carries the plunger head 46 at its inner end and reciprocates in its bearing block 51 in response to the rocking movements of the pivoted arm 48. The plunger head is formed with arms 52, 52 provided with relatively long slots v53 in which y cam lugs 54, 54a are adjustably fixed to engage corresponding cam lugs 55, 55a formed on the side plates 36 of the chucks. The in ward movement of the plunger head, therefore, brings the cam lugs 54, 54a into cngagement with the cam surface of the cam lugs 55, 55 to move theear-retaining chucks outwardly toward the pail body. The cam lugs A54, 54a of the plunger head may be mi- Y that when the ear chucks of the complemental pockets of the-drums 10,11 have been moved outwardly sufficient to bring the ears into contact with the wall of the pail body, the lugs 54, 54a of the plunger head will ride 0H the cam surface 57 (Fig. 8) of the lugs 55, 55 before the plunger head 46 engages with the cover end of the pail. Further inward movement, however, of the plunger head brings it into engagement with the cover end of the pail and the pail body is forced longitudinally in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2 and 8, during which movement of the pail body the ends of the ears find entry between the wall and cover flange of the pail. The plunger head and chucks are then moved in the opposite direction and the drums 10, 11 rotated to discharge the pail body to which the ears have been applied.

In order to prevent the inertia of the intermittently operated elements from moving them beyondthe point where it is desired that they remain in a stationary position, l preferably provide a split friction band 59 attached to the frame 60 of the machine', so as to grip a drum 6l secured to the drum shaft 15. The frictional grip of the band 59 may be varied to suit conditions by adjusting the hand-nut 62 (Fig. 4).

When applying ears of this character, the ends of the ears are preferably forced between the wall of the pail and cover flange the entire width of the flange until their ends engage the inner surface of the cover. If under such conditions one of the ears be slightly longer than the other, or if lfor any reason there be a greater pressure ex. erted against one ear than the other, there is danger of damaging the ear. In order to avoid an unequal pressure being exerted against the opposite edges of the pail body or on the ears being applied thereto, l preferably mount the plunger head 46 on the squared shaft 50 so that it will pivot on avertical axis. The pivoted connection consists of a pin 63 extending vertically through the shaft 50 and fitting in small recesses 64 (Fig. 5) in the plunger head. The plunger is held in contact with the pivot pin 63 by means of a resilient member 65, preferably a rubber block, interposed between the plunger head and a shoulder 66 on the shaft 50,

` so that the plunger head will be normally held in a plane at right angles to the length f the shaft 50. With this arrangement, the plunger head has capacity to assume an angular position with relation to the shaftf 50 to compensate for any irregularity of the edge of the pail body or any objectionable variation in the length of the ears being applied to the pail. `'The rubber block 65 is preferably stiH enough to avoid-any variation in the tension of the springs 41 displacing it from its normal position.

vWhile I have described my invention in one specific embodiment, it will be obvious that various modifications in structure might be made withont departure from the spirit of my invention. l therefore contemplate all such modificationslcoming within the'scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l. n apparatus for applying handlereceiving ears to pails, the combination with a support for a pail body adapted to support said body in a position to receive an ear, of an ear-retaining device adapted to normally hold an ear out of contact with said pail body, and mechanism for producing relative movement as between said support and ear-retaining device to position said ear against the pail body.

2. In apparatus for applying handle- \receiving ears to pails, the combination with a support for a pail body, of an ear-retaining device adapted to normally hold an ear out of contact with said pail body, and mechanism for operating said device to move the same toward the pail'body to position said ear thereon, said operating mechanism being adapted to release said device so as to permit its return to its normal position after the ear is applied.

A3. In apparatus for applying handlereceiving ears to pails, the combination with an intermittently operated conveyer for a pail body, of an ear-retaining device adapted together with its previously applied coverr rim in a predetermined position, of ear-positioning devices adapted to move ears into contact with opposite sides of the pail body while the pail body is in said predetermined position and maintain said contacti until the ears are attached to said body, and means for producing relative movement as between said pail-body and ears while the ears are held in contact with said body whereby the vends of said ears are forced 'between the wall and cover rim of the pail.

5.` In apparatus for applying handlereceiving ears to pails, the combinaltion with an intermittently operatedv conveyor adapted when at rest to support a pail body in a predetermined position, of intermittently operated ear-retaining chucks adapted position, of intermittently operated ear-re,

to move ears into contact with opposite sides ofthe pail body while said conveyor is at rest, and mechanism for effecting an attachment of said ears to the pail body.

6. In apparatus for applying 'handlereceiving ears to pails, the combination with an intermittently operated conveyor adapted when at rest to support a pail body and its applied cover in a predetermined position, of intermittently operated ear-retaining chucks adapted to move ea'rs into contact with opposite sides of the pail body while said conveyor is at rest, and mechanism for forcing said ears between the wall and cover flange of the pail to eliect an attachment of said ears to the pail body.

7. In apparatus for applying handle-receiving ears to pails, the combination with an intermittently operated conveyor adapted when at rest to support a pail body and its applied cover in a predetermined taining chucks adapted vto move ears into contact with opposite sides of the pail body while said conveyor is at rest, and mechanism for shifting the pail body longitudice1v1ng ears to pails, the combination with nally to force said ears between the wall and cover flange of the pail to eifect an attachment of said ears to the pail body.

8. In apparatus for applying handle-receiving ears to pails, the combination with an intermittently operated conveyor adapted when at rest t'osupport a pail body and its applied cover in a predetermined position, of. intermittently operated ear-retaining chucks a pair of which operate in unison to move ears into contact with opposite sides of the pail body while said conveyor is .at rest, and mechanism for shifting the pail body longitudinally to force .sai`d ears between the wall"and coverlange of the pail to effect an attachment of said ears to the pail body. 4

9. In apparatus for applying handle-receiving ears to pails, the combination with a conveyor for a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, of magnets carried by' said conveyor adapted to retain said ears, and intermittently operated mechanism for moving said magnets with relation to said conveyor to bring said ears against the wall of the pail and for forcing the ends of said ears between the wall and cover rim of thelpail.

l0. In apparatus for applying handle-receiving ears to pails, the combination with a conveyor for a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, of magnets carried by said conveyor adapted to retain said ears, and intermittently operated mechanism for imparting' movement to said magnets to bring said ears against the wall of the pail and for moving the pail longitudinally t0 force the ends of said ears vbetween the wall and cover rim of the pail.

l11. In apparatus for applying handle-receiving ears to pails, the combination with means lforsupporting a pail body and itspreviously applied cover rim, of ear-retaining chucks comprising, in each case, a body providing a seat for an ear and a magnet adjustably supported on said body adapted lto 'hold said ear on the said seat, and mechanisml for operating said chucks with relation 'to said pail supporting means to bring the ears retained into contact with' opposite sides of said pail.

12. In apparatus Vfor applyingvhandle-receiving ears to pails, the combination with means for supporting a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, of ear-retaining chucks comprising, in each case, a body providing a seat for 4an ear and a magnet adjustably supported on said body adapted to hold said ear'on the said seat, and mechanism for operating said chucks to bring the ears retainedv into contact with opposite sides of said pail comprising a plunger adapted to force the ends of the ears between the w'all vand cover rim of the pail.

13. In apparatus for applying handle-remeans for supporting a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, of ear-,retaining chucks comprising, in each case, a body providing a seat for an ear and a magnet adjustably supported on said body adapted to hold said ear on the said seat, and mechanism for operating said .chucks to bring the ears retained linto contact with opposite a plunger -lng chucks, and mechanism for tmoving said chucks `to bring the ears into contact with the wall of the pail comprising a plunger provided with cam lugs adapted to engage with two oppositely disposed chucks.

15. In apparatus for applying handle-re` ceiving ears to pails, the combinationwith means for supporting a pail 4body and its previously applied cover rim, of ear-retaining chucks, and mechanism for moving said chucks to bring the'ears into contact with the wall of -thepail comprising a plunger provided with cam lugs adapted to engage with two oppositely' disposed chucks, said camlugs being adjustable to vary the movement of said chucks.

16. Inapparatus for applying handle-receiving ears to-pails, the combination with means for supporting a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, of ear-retain-A ing chucks, and mechanism for moving said chucks to bring the ears into contact with the wall of the pail comprising a plunger provided with cam lugs adapted to engage with two oppositely disposed chucks, said plun er being adapted to engage withthe pail ody to move the same longitudinally whereby theends of said ears are forced between the wall and cover rim of the pail, and said cam lugs being adjustable to vary the movement of said chucks.

- 17. In' apparatus for applying handle-receiving ears to pails, the combination with means for supportingV a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, of ear-retaining chucks, and mechanism for moving said chucks to bring the ears into contact with the wall of the pail comprising a plunger shaft, a plunger head yieldably supported on said shaft, and provided with cam lugs adapted to engage with two oppositely disposed chucks, said plunger being adapted to engage with the pail body ,to move the same longitudinally whereby the ends of said ears are forced between the wall and cover rim of the pail, and said cam lugs being adjustable to vary the movement of said chucks.

18. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with oppositely disposed drums formed with complemental recesses which cooperate one with another to provide a composite pocket adapted to support a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, and means for intermittently operating said drums whereby a pail body is maintained in said compositeV pocket while the drums are at rest, of ear-retaining chucks carried by said drums and disposed on opposite sides of the pail when said com-- posite pocket is formed, means for moving the ears retained by said chucks into contact with the wall of theI pail while said drums are at rest, and means for producing relative movement as between the ears and pail to force the end of the ears between the wall and cover rim of the pail.

19. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with oppositely disposed drums formed with complemental recesses which cooperate one with another to provide a composite pocket adapted to support a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, vand means for intermittently operating said drums whereby a pail body is maintained in said composite pocket while the drums-are at rest, of ear-retaining chucks carried by said drums and disposed on opposite sides of the pail when said composite pocket is formed, means for moving the ears retained by said chucks into contact with the wall of the pail while said drums are at rest, and means for imparting longitudinal movement to the pail to force the ends of the ears between the wall and cover rim of the pail.

20. 113. apparatus of the character described, the combination with oppositely disposed drums formed with complemental recesses which cooperate one with another to provide a composite pocket adapted to support a pail body and its previously applied cover rim, and means for intermittently operating said drums whereby a pail body is maintained in said composite pocket while the drums are at rest, of learretaining chucks slidably supported on said drumsand so disposed as tobe on opposite sides of the pail when said composite pocket is formed, springs for normally holding the chucks in their retracted position, means for moving the ears retained b said chucks into contact with the wall 'o the pail, and means for imparting longitudinal movement to the pailto force the ends of the ears `between the wall and cover rim of the pail.

21. In apparatus ot the chiaracter described, the combination with oppositely disposed drums formed with complemental recesses which cooperate one with another to form a composite pocket, means for intermittently operating the drums whereby a pail positioned in one if said recesses is conveyed to the point Where the said composite pocket is formed, of ear-retaining chucks slidably supported on said drums adjacent said recesses ard adapted to normally support ears out of contact with the pail body, means operative while the said drums are at rest to move said chucks outwardly to bring the ears retained thereby into contact with the pail body and for attaching the ears to the pail, and means effec tive to return said chucks to their normal position during' said rest period of the drums.

22.1n apparatus of the character described, the combination with oppositely disposed drums formed with complemental recesses which cooperate one with another to form a composite pocket, means for inter* mittently operating the drums whereby a pail positioned in one of said recesses is conveyed to the point where the said composite pocket is Jformed, of ear-retaining chucks slidably supported on said drums adjacent said recesses and adapted to normally support ears out of contact with the pail.

body, means operative while the said drums are at rest to move said chucks outwardly to bringthe ears retained thereby into contact with the pail body and for attaching the ears to the pail comprising a plunger head provided with cams adapted to engage with chucks to impart an outward movement thereto; said plunger head being adapted to subsequently engage the pail body to move it longitudinally whereby the ends of the ears are forced between the wall and the cover flange of the pail.

' WILLI SPAIN, 

